If you simply refuse to succumb to the hype surrounding the iPhone 3G, which fans claim does everything bar wash your dishes and make toast, then you might want to hold out for BlackBerry’s forthcoming Bold, a smart phone hoping to capture the same market.
RIM’s BlackBerry Bold promises a desktop-style web experience, so much like the iPhone the user can view both full webpages or made-for-mobile versions if available.
The difference is that BlackBerry is still sticking with the mouse-like trackball as a means of navigation, instead of a touchscreen interface, but unlike previous models it boasts a large half-VGA colour LCD that promises a razor-sharp picture.
The new Bold will also be Wi-Fi ready and operate on HSDPA (High Speed Download Packet Access), making it zippier and more flexible for web access than its predecessors.
It will also come with a 2-megapixel camera with built-in flash and the ability for iTunes users to port their digital music collection over via USB.
BlackBerry’s popularity and strength has been built on its superb and simple push email functionality that has made it the smart phone of choice for most business users.
Although the iPhone 3G now has this capability, fuelling fears of mass exodus, the new Bold has an extra feature to make the business user happy: a new ‘Push Button Setup’ is included, making it faster for users to connect to protected wireless networks that require a sign-on process.
Vodafone Ireland said while there is no release date just yet, the BlackBerry Bold is most definitely on its roadmap and will be available in Ireland some time soon.
Siliconrepublic.com has been informed by O2 Ireland that it will be selling the BlackBerry Bold from approximately mid-September.
By Marie Boran
